How Much Protein You Should Eat In Your 30s, 40s, 50s & Beyond

It’s an age-old question in the world of health and nutrition: How much protein should I be eating? Not only is the answer entirely personal (we don’t recommend one diet—just the one that works for you!), but it apparently fluctuates depending on your age. 

Here’s what functional medicine doctor Frank Lipman, M.D., author of The New Rules Of Aging Well, has to say about the matter: As you grow older, your body changes from “production mode” to “preservation mode” when it comes to protein. What does this mean? Well, as Lipman explains on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, protein affects the body differently as you age (and, it turns out, you might not need as much as you thought).

Below, Lipman explains protein by the decades, as well as which protein-rich foods are best for different ages.